Police said Heichel's ATM card was used at a nearby Troutdale gas station at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday. Two hours later, her sport utility vehicle was found in a Wal-Mart parking lot with the passenger side window smashed.

A child later found her cell phone in a field that lies between the gas station and the Wal-Mart, giving investigators another venue to search.

Police have been searching Larch Mountain since Wednesday, believing that Heichel's SUV was driven there.

“To say that this case brought fear and anxiety to the community is an understatement," Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis told the Oregonian on Friday. "Our law enforcement personnel and our community searched for Whitney as if she were a member of their own family."

Detectives interviewed Holt on Wednesday and Thursday before arresting him during a Friday night interview, the chief said.